Page:A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol 1.djvu/313

The Tomb under the Ancient Empire. 223 it, and can examine at his ease the beautiful blocks of limestone from Mokattam of which its polished -walls are composed. The faces of these blocks have been dressed with a care which is not to be surpassed even by the most perfect examples of Hellenic architecture on the Acropolis at Athens. The internal faces must have been worked with equal care. No cement has been employed in the fixing, and the adherence is so perfect that, in the words of Abd-ul-Latif " not a needle, not even a hair, can be introduced into the joints." ^ These joints are not even to be distinguished without careful examination. The roof of this gallery is built with no less care.'-^ Each of the upper courses is slightly set off from the one below it, so that in time they come so near together that the opening may be closed by a single stone, or rather, row of stones. These, being held between the two upper courses of a quasi vault, play the part of key stones. This method of vaulting has been employed in other parts of the pyramid, especially in what is called the Queeiis Chamber, which is almost directly beneath the king's, or sarcophagus- chamber. The same care is conspicuous in those linings of red granite which form the walls of the two chambers. Even the fine limestone used for the walls of the Grand Gallery was not considered rich and solid enough for the walls of the apartment in which the prince in whose honour the whole of the colossal edifice was reared would repose ; and it was determined to use the richest and most costly material of which the Egyptian architect could dispose.^ The plain sarcophagus, without either inscription or ornament, which is still in the King's Chamber, is also of red granite. The external casing of the pyramid has entirely disappeared, as we have already said. On account of their moderate size the ^ This is no exaggeration. Jomard expresses himself to the same effect ahiiost in the same terms. {^Description de I' Egypfe, vol. v. ]). 628.) ^ The extremity of this gallery appears on the right of Fig. 152. ^ The presence of this lining in the " Queen's Chamber" also led to its being dubbed a funerary chamber, for no trace of a sarcophagus was found in it. If we had any reason to believe that the pyramid was built in successive wedges, we should look upon this as a provisional chamber, made before it was certain that the pyramid would attain its present dimensions. As the work went on, it would be decided that another, larger, and better defended chamber should be built. In this case the first may never liave been used, and may always have been as empty as it is now.